Basketball Defense

In this format we will publish your comments and answer your questions. To submit a comment or questions, please email me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com.

Mickey,

None was harsher on Brownell for the past two years than me. However, it is very clear that he has sought and obtained some help in learning how to situational coach. For example. In the first 12 minutes of the

second half against Wake they were eating up our man to man defense.

In previous years he would have stayed with the m to m. Yesterday, he switched to a zone and that won the game in that they were confused on how to attack it. Manning is a young coach but clueless. An experienced coach calls TO and tells them to run their zone offense.

He didn't and we won. In previous years we probably lose that game.

Brad has done a fine job in substitutions, coaching on how to get the ball in bounds, etc. Most on the boards I look at think it's all talent and it is not. We've got enough talent but he has taken advantage of it with his moves and I commend him for that.

J. Slater

J. Slater,

I agree he has done a good job this year, but maybe we have simplified our criteria. When they win, a coach looks great. When they lose, he looks bad. I am sure he made some great moves last year that didn’t work out, and I am sure we unfairly criticized some of the moves that might have been the right thing to do, but the results weren’t good. Hindsight is the best teacher. For example, if Wake would have hit a few shots against the zone and gone on to win, we could have criticized him for trying to turn a man team into zone at a critical time. I think it is fair to criticize and praise, but let's understand that the staff here knows much more and has much more to consider than anything you and I could have ever imagined. Hope this makes sense. Also, hope we can continue this hot streak and great season. I would be surprised if this team is not 20-4 and 9-3 after Thursday night.

Mickey,

Come on and spill the beans. Who are we gonna sign on Wednesday? Give me the inside scoop. I promise not to tell anyone. LOL.

Bell Tiger

Bell Tiger,

Just between us, Clemson will sign.... I promise I don’t know. This new early signing period has changed the game so much. If guys have waited, then they have a lot more sharks in the water in a much smaller pool. Schools are desperate at this point and are grasping at straws. For example, Alabama has offered players they would have never offered, but they cant poach anymore because of the large number of guys that have already signed early with other schools. Clemson is waiting on five or six players, and I honestly don’t know who they will get. I don’t feel confident in any of the five or six, but I don’t think they are out of it with any of them as well. Sorry I was not able to be more helpful.

Mickey,

Does the NCAA basketball committee still put weight in the RPI? Clemson is ranked higher in the RPI than they are in the polls, so I was hoping they were still used. Thanks and I always enjoy your work on the radio and the blog.

Porter

Porter,

Thanks for the kind words. The committee doesn’t officially use the RPI, but they also don’t consider the polls either. They have a bunch of metrics they do use, and Clemson should be high in most of those metrics. There was a tournament several years ago they really looked like it followed the RPI closely, but that hasn’t been the case recently. I think the immediate goal for this club is to make the top four of the ACC and get two byes in the ACC tournament. This would give them a great shot at a higher seed in the NCAA tournament.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

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